Vanessa Carlton's Tour Diary, Part I: Rabid Fans, Boston Rest-Stops & A Sweaty Dress
Vanessa Carlton, she of "A Thousand Miles" acclaim, is back. Her fourth studio album, the pared-down, downright lovely Rabbits on the Run is out July 26th, and on the occasion of her first tour in four years, we asked the singer-songwriter to document life on the road. Here's her first report, guys-with-her-name-tattoeed-on-their-biceps, and all. June 22: Vienna, VA
Today is the first day of my first tour in four years. The gig is in Virginia, so pretty close to the city and we (Ari my guitarist, Victor my dog, Mark my tour manager/sound engineer and I) van out in the morning. I bought Mark organic coffee that is so god damn sour he roars after a sip. It does the trick though and we make good time. We pull up to a mini mall and a venue called Jammin' Java. All signs point to goodness because in my experience it's always spots like these that end up being kind of awesome. Turns out Daniel Lanois played here a week earlier. I get it. Soundchecked and now walking Victor out the back. I am PSCYHED cause an arts and crafts store is one street over. I go in and buy a "how to sketch faces" book and a white ink pen that cost like $12 bucks. I could spend a good three hours here but I gotta play.
I then proceed to get locked out of the venue. The owner of the garden supplies shop next door shows me the trick to the door. It's all in the little things -- or the SUPER obvious. Spinal Tap right off the bat I suppose.
I am nervous about premiering a song, "The Marching Line." This new record is so fresh and scary. I am wearing my new fave tie dyed dress. An old friend I went to a water park with when I was seven is in the audience. This a solid start.
Post-show I meet a guy with my name tattooed on his bicep. I am kind of flattered and part flabbergasted. He then tells me he named his bike Vanessa too so I figure it's probably more of a bike thing? A nightcap with the staff afterwards and then we drive to DC to do some satellite radio with the fantastic Bob Edwards early the next morning. Gotta be crispy-minded in the morning. I crash.
June 23: Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia is weighty and prickly and artful. There is also an underbelly of pain and beauty that I see on my run along the river. Philly is home to my favorite museum, The Mutter.
Gotta practice lots....
I meet an honest, warm and super-psyched guy whose parents kicked him out of his house because he was gay. He then had a kidney replacement. His skin looks bright with eyes sharp and I hug him. He's got lyrics to "Afterglow" tattooed on his bicep. He gave me a bouquet of colorful flowers. He screams as he walks back to his car. Twas HAPPY.
June 24: Day off in New York
We had a day off so I booked it back two Lafayette St. Any chance I have to sleep in my bed... I spent the next afternoon walking the Hudson listening to Radical Face, a recommendation from a friend. Good soundtrack for a sticky hot stroll. I love the city in the summer because everyone clears out and I feel like I'm in on a secret.
June 25: Boston, MA
Ari drives us to Boston. We got lost twice which prompted lady robot GPS to say RECALCULATING way too many times. We are playing at Brighton Music Hall, which had been raided the night before and for some reason all the mirrors are gone. But I NEED one. Curling iron to the hair is not quite mastered without a mirror. I burn the shit out of my hand usually. Found another run along the river... feels like a continuation from Philly. They got me a mirror. Oh, so vain.
Show went well I think. We leave for New York City right after. Rest stops in the middle of the night are some sort of alternate universe slash crystallization of hungry, tired Americans with a peppering of prostitutes? We finally make it home, and pull into the Bowery at 3 a.m. Almost home. Completely sober and driving into a Saturday night shit show on the streets is... entertaining.
June 26, 27 and 29: New York, NY
I am prepping for my Joe's Pub shows at home. For my first show, friend and violinist Skye comes over to go through some songs with me. We sound woven in together and now have the supreme luxury of walking over to sound check from my house. Joe's is literally on my street. Goes pretty well. I sweat on stage. A lot. My Bernhard Willhelm dress soaks through and I grow concerned as to what sort of outline I've created as I walk off stage. I don't wear that dress again. Meet some cute girls post-show.... in from Kuwait.
June 30: Day of in New York... sort of.
Today's my day off, but my label is rad and they propose a shoot of me playing pianos on the street around the city -- Central Park, on a pier over river and at a cathedral garden. It was an early day, but I took pretty good care of myself the night before, hence NOT hungover and got to see the triumphant early sun. I play Marley as Aya does my makeup and I feel lucky to live in such a beautiful place.
Playing in Central Park was such a treat. I never do that because there are never pianos anywhere. Such a good idea to put pianos around the city. A lone upright set of keys on a stone sea surrounded by trees and columns looked like a dream. It sounded good too. I've been playing "I Don't Want To Be a Bride" for our little video shoot all day and in that song there's a children's choir part that comes bursting in at the end of the song. As luck would have it a 42-piece children's choir was singing 20 feet away from me. I ask them if they'd be down to walk over and sing and they said yes. They learned the lavender part in two minutes and we sang through the song couple times.
Playing piano with a 42-piece choir and my dog Victor at my feet was definitely close to a dream, and strangers started to stop and watch. If you can't cut it with strangers then I'd feel like I was in trouble. Or maybe they were just amped about Victor's new purple kerchief? Plus he's got killer low lights. If I saw him I'd stop too.
June 28: New York, NY, my apartment
Tonight's a showcase at the house for music supervisors and some press. I was psyched my brother drove in from upstate to help me -- serving wine and picking fantastic Beatles songs. Plus my friend Collaborta. The artist who did all the Rabbits artwork, Jo Ratcliffe, just arrived off my elevator straight from London in the middle of the party. Perfect.
This story was published on Jul. 11, 2011
http://www.papermag.com/2011/07/june_22_vienna_va_today.phpHaven't read it yet, but i'm looking forward to it
